Just like we humans, plants too need a balanced diet of nutrients to stay healthy and have a long life. Plants get their own food by capturing the energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar. But in order to stay healthy and give the best results they take additional nutrients from the soil or compost, so it is important to provide them with auxiliary nutrients. The basic nutrients plants require are nitrogen (N) for leaf and stem growth, phosphorus (P) for root growth and potassium (K) for flowers, fruit and to maintain healthy growth of the plants. There are two major types of plants nutrients, organic and inorganic.

Organic nutrients refer to substances that include a wide variety of living or dead plants and animal material. Some of the typical organic nutrients are manure, fish bone, decaying plant matter and so on. On the other hand, inorganic nutrients come from manmade chemicals and some from natural minerals. You need to feed your plants according to their needs. You can use well-rotted horse and cattle manure by adding them before planting or use them as surface mulch around established plants. You can add balanced granular plant nutrients to all established plants in spring that will provide nutrients for entire growing season. You need to apply all dry fertilizers, according to the instruction printed on the pack. You can use liquid fertilizers too to feed your plants. Liquid fertilizers are diluted in water and applied to the soil using a watering can. Regarding your liquid fertilizers, you can add to plant foliage as well as the soil but should not be applied to the foliage of a sick plant.

If you are growing plants with the help of hydroponic systems, you need to take special care of your hydroponic or organic hydroponic nutrients. All hydroponic plants require a balance percentage of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, and trace elements to grow properly. Hydroponic nutrients are divided into macro nutrients and micro nutrients. Nutrients needed in very small amounts are micronutrients and those are needed in larger quantities are called macronutrients. You need to check the pH level of your hydroponic nutrients properly that determines the plants ability to use the food efficiently.

Growing organic plants with the help of hydroponic systems require adequate amount of organic hydroponic nutrients. The choice and use of hydro-organic nutrients will depend on the crop you are growing and the stage of growth. Since plants have different nutritional needs in the seedling and vegetative stages, the mix of nutrients may differ from stage to stage. Some of the important organic hydroponic nutrients that you can use to feed your plants are homemade nutrients, fish waste, readymade hydro-organic nutrients and seaweed or kelp. If you are planning to buy readymade hydro-organic fertilizers then there is no need to measure the pH level. For other nutrients, before using you need to ensure that the pH level is well-balanced.

By using organic hydroponic nutrients and hydroponic products, you can expect more colorful petals, rapid growth, bigger yields, and healthier plants. Remember, too much nutrient solution can damage a plant or scorch its leaves so try to balance the nutrients solution to get a flourishing garden.